It is less and less disputable that we are in the presence of what can actually and accurately be termed mass persecution. Hard to imagine, since we are dealing with a religion that has long been dominant.

Whenever you read the sanctimonious articles regarding the plight of Arab Christians, rather than simply bemoan the intolerance of Islamic extremists, let's remember the role of Washington in supporting repressive regimes.

In the Garbage Village I found my Advent story. "When Jesus comes to a place, it changes the whole society," said Father Samaan, priest of the St. Simon Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo, Egypt. And so it does.